Kreutz examines the goals and strategies of Russia and the former Soviet Union toward most of the Arab states in the Middle East. The author argues that Russia has been an important actor in the region for over a century and has tried to regain its influence in several countries following its strategic retreat after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s…

China is set to become the world's next superpower. Should America celebrate - or be afraid? China: Friend or Foe? deals with vital questions: Who are China's power-players? Will the Chinese economy increase trade or kill off our livelihoods? How is China using its political and cultural influence? Accessible and hard-hitting, China: Friend or Foe? goes beyond borders and stereotypes to explain what China means to America and the West at large…

Rivers provide the essentials of life: fresh food and water. They often provide natural highways and enable us to live in just about every environment on Earth. But rivers can also flood, freeze or disappear altogether! Human Planet joins Sam Niang, a Laotian fisherman, as he walks a high wire strung above the raging Mekong River rapids on an extraordinary commute to work.